There is a large Vervet monkey population on St. Kitts
Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 19, 2016 (SKNIS): Officials at the Department of Agriculture are taking another look at the threat posed by monkeys to crop production and personal property.
On Wednesday’s (May 18) edition of Working for You, Director of the Department of Agriculture, Melvin James, said a number of new methods are being discussed to control the monkey population and the harmful impact on agriculture.
“We are engaging some of the research institutions … that have information on controls that have been done with other wild animals elsewhere, sometimes deer and monkeys too,” he said, noting that sterilization and other forms of birth control are being contemplated.
Efforts to trap monkeys will also intensify. Director James said a trapping group has been contracted to capture the animals. They will operate primarily in the farming districts on island and will be deployed next month.
Mr. James announced that in July, the government will convene what he described as a “Monkey Summit.”
“We are having a one-day symposium to discuss monkeys in St. Kitts,” he said. “We are looking at historical information, the development of the species over the years, where they [are] now, the challenges we have and what we are doing about it,”
Public and private stakeholders from around the island are expected to participate in the symposium. Consultants outside of St. Kitts and Nevis are also expected to attend the event.
Mr. James stressed that there are no plans or intention to eradicate the monkey population as they are a part of the ecosystem. “It’s about finding the best balance,” he stated.
T. GEORGE’S, GRENADA, MAY 18, 2016, GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICE (GIS): – A second case of Zika viral infection has been confirmed by Grenadian health authorities the Ministry of Health disclosed on Wednesday.
The virus was discovered in samples sent to both St. George’s University and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) late last week, although definite confirmation from the region’s accredited laboratory was received late Tuesday evening.
The case in point is a 50 year old St. Andrew’s resident. The Ministry of Health has mounted a robust and aggressive response by undertaking prescribed measures to locate and destroy the adult Aedes aegypti Mosquito and its breeding sites in the area where the suspected now confirmed case was reported.
However while the Ministry will continue to play the lead role in the national response, public health officials say there is greater need for individuals to play their part and take their responsibility seriously by getting rid of possible mosquito breathing sites if the spread of the viral infection is to be limited.
With the rainy season now on us public health officials are warning that there could be high mosquito infestation, if individuals, families and communities fail to undertake the primary and most effective measure to advert potential problems by reducing mosquito breeding sites.
Meanwhile in-keeping with the standard protocols, all suspected samples will be sent to CARPHA accredited laboratory for official confirmation although the MOH through SGU/WINDREF has secured another mobile laboratory that can undertake the testing of suspected samples.
Only last Friday, the Ministry of Health through the Vector Control and Health Promotion Departments held a successful public-health education drive in Grenville, St. Andrew to mark Mosquito Awareness Week – 2016.
Residents of St. Andrew’s, business operators, students and passers-by participated in the activity and engaged public health officials on various matters that surrounds mosquito breeding, control and prevention.
A 27 year-old female non-Grenadian was diagnosed as the island’s first, with the mosquito related illness.
Head of the Plant Protection and Quarantine Unit, Ryan Anselm, is calling on farmers to practice proper sanitation.
Anselm, in an interview with GIS News, addressed some issues which the unit is currently facing with farmers.
He stated that the quality of crops goes beyond inspection and packing for export to the fields.
Anselm wants farmers to exercise good agricultural practices.
He says, “Once you plant the crop, you have to do the necessary de-leafing, sleeving and cultural practises so that your crop meets the quality requirements ensuring that the pest population is kept very low.
“I want to tell farmers that a quality issue is not only an inspection process at the port when your food is either accepted or rejected.”
The Head of Plant Protection and Quarantine Unit also raised the issue of spraying crops before harvest.
“If you’re bringing your fruits and vegetables to the market, we want you to observe and respect the harvest intervals. Some people are spraying chemicals on vegetables and by the next day or two are bringing them to the market. That can affect human health.
“We’re expecting farmers to adhere to the harvest intervals and regime.”
Farmers will soon be further trained by the Dominica Bureau of Standards.
The Iyanola Council for the Advancement of Rastafari (ICAR) add a new component to the council’s structure.
Representatives of the Iyanola Council for the Advancement of Rastafari (ICAR) recently commented on the addition of a Council of Elders to the ICAR’s framework.
Bongo Wisely Tafari, a member of the Council of Elders said the added unit will futher help in the development of ICAR.
“The role of the Council of Elders is to provide guidance, direction for the executive. The elders are the custodians of the Rastafari movement. They play an important role in directing the forward movement of the organization.”
ICAR has taken the relevant measures to ensure that the Council of Elders is seen as a recognized arm of the organization.
“The Council of Elders is a new advent within the structure of the organization because initially, the organization was listed as a non-profit, and the by-laws did not make provisions for a Council of Elders, it only made provisions for a board of trustees. But presently we are in discussions with the Ministry of Social Transformation and we are looking to transform to a faith-based organization which makes provisions for a Council of Elders.”
The Iyanola Council for the Advancement of Rastafari has revamped a number of its committees after electing a new executive earlier this year.
The Saint Lucia Tourist Board UK promoted Saint Lucia Carnival along with partners SN Travel, Soca Frenzy, and Xtreme carnival band.
The UK office of the Saint Lucia Tourist Board (SLTB UK) attended Carnival EXPO, an exhibition that educates on and promotes carnivals from around the world.
Approximately 1000 people, a mixture of fans and participators of carnivals, were in attendance.
Over the course of the weekend there were lessons on the history of carnival, lectures, steel pan bands and carnival costume displays.
SLTB UK promoted Saint Lucia Carnival along with partners SN Travel, a popular diaspora travel agency who produced a Saint Lucia special offers flyer for the weekend; Soca Frenzy, an events company that brings Carnival revelers to Saint Lucia; and Xtreme Saint Lucia, the only Saint Lucian, London-based mass band that participates in the Notting Hill Carnival.
Visitors to the Saint Lucia booth were provided information about the destination, and were entered into a competition to win a bottle of rum. They also received a slice of traditional Saint Lucian banana bread.
Last century’s technology boom brought about countless advances for mankind, but also another set of challenges for policymakers, legislators, and investigators of the Americas, who have had to increasingly focus on the prosecution and punishment of cybercrimes such as child pornography, identity theft, cyberbullying, or computer hacking.
The Latin America and Caribbean Network Information Centre (LACNIC), which oversees the Regional Internet Registry for Latin America and the Caribbean, estimates that cybercrime costs our region about 90 billion dollars annually.
This is why, in 1999, the Ministers of Justice and Attorneys General of the Americas convened a group of experts within the framework of the Organization of American States (OAS) in order to:
Assess criminal activity targeting computers and information in the member states;
Evaluate legislation, policies, and national practices related to cybercrime;
Identify international and national institutions with relevant experience in the matter; and
Seek cooperation mechanisms to combat this threat.
Today, this entity is known as the Working Group on Cybercrime of the Meetings of Ministers of Justice, or Other Ministers, or Attorneys General of the Americas (REMJA). It meets twice a year to improve and strengthen legal and judicial cooperation among the states of the Hemisphere.
The assessment that came out of this process revealed that perhaps the greatest difficulty facing the countries of the region is the lack of agencies specialized in cybercrime that have the authority to investigate and prosecute the perpetration of this crime, as well as the lack of sufficient training to further advance in a comprehensive and coordinated effort.
In response to this challenge, the OAS, with the support of various countries in the region, decided to start developing workshops and programs to train judges and magistrates of the judiciary in the content and scope of international conventions and agreements on cybercrime. Training also included other available legal instruments, the management of digital evidence, and the importance of international legal cooperation for the prosecution and punishment of this crime.
Through this initiative, more than 1,500 judges, investigators, and legislative policymakers have been trained in 26 regional workshops coordinated by the OAS. The workshops have covered topics such as basic investigation techniques and prosecution; management, conservation and admissibility of electronic and digital evidence; international cooperation and mutual legal assistance; and techniques for developing legislation on cybercrime based on the European Council’s Convention in this matter.
This week, training workshops on these topics are being provided to 50 judges and magistrates of the judiciary branch of Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Chile, who will participate in an exercise on legal cooperation in cybercrime in Buenos Aires.
In these exercises, participants identify common examples of cybercrimes that occur in their countries and the challenges they face: they learn about the Inter-American Cooperation Portal on Cybercrime that the OAS developed and information on data open sources focused on the investigation of cybercrime, metadata and reverse lookups; and they receive training on the basic elements of digital evidence and how to secure and ensure the proper preservation of the custody chain. Furthermore, they discuss the necessary balance between privacy and security, as well as the legal aspects of digital evidence and the formal and informal ways to obtain them.
The workshop in Buenos Aires, intended for the countries of the southern cone, is the first in a series that will be carried out throughout 2016 in the entire region of Latin America and the Caribbean. The workshop intended for Central American countries will take place in Costa Rica in July; the one for Caribbean countries will be held in Fort Lauderdale, USA, in August, and the one for the Andean region in Peru in October.
Since its inception, the Working Group on Cybercrime has served as facilitator for the exchange of information and experiences and for making recommendations aimed to improve and ensure effectiveness in the fight against this crime in the region.
In addition to its fight against cybercrime, the OAS, through the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) and the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL), fosters specific programs to prevent and mitigate cybercrime threats, which are particularly focused on building security capacities between states, establishing national “alert, monitoring and prevention” groups, developing national strategies on cybersecurity, critical infrastructure protection plans, and overall cyberspace security.
OECS Commission Supports the National Utilities Regulatory Commission in Customized Training On Utility Regulation For Stakeholders In Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia’s newly established National Utilities Regulatory Commission (NURC) has welcomed the support of the OECS Commission’s Eastern Caribbean Energy Regulatory Authority, through the ECERA Project in facilitating a capacity building seminar .
The customized two day seminar conducted on May 19th and 20th is designed to provide basic knowledge on utility regulation to the NURC Commissioners and staff, local operators, Governmental and non-governmental organisations.
Saint Lucia’s National Utilities Regulatory Commission (NURC) is grateful to the OECS Commission’s through the ECERA project for the funding provided to support this training exercise: “I don’t think we could have done it without the OECS Commission. So far we have relied significantly on the assistance of the OECS. It is much needed.” Mr. Victor Poyotte who chairs the Saint Lucia NURC told the OECS News Link that ongoing discussions on regulation of the water, sewage and electricity sectors are at a important juncture: ” It is critical to our role as the regulator. All Commissioners are interested in understanding the regulatory system and what is more important to us is being effective.” Poyotte referred to earlier discussions on day-one regarding the “balancing act” which experts conducting the seminar say is among the best approaches towards ensuring that the needs of the regulator, utility company and customer are met in the best possible way: “ It’s important that we understand the role, function of the regulator, the timing and type of interventions we make and the implication of our decisions in achieving the national development goals of Saint Lucia and our region.”
Ted Kury the Director of Energy Studies at the Public Utilities Research Centre or (PURC) at the University of Florida suggests that continuous dialogue on energy regulation issues can help boost consumer confidence in the utilities sector: “ Consumers like certainty. We ask consumers, we ask utility operators to make long term investments in the appliances they buy and the types of homes that they buy, the vehicles that they drive and the security of supply is important for them so that they can make better decisions to improve their lives. The utility operators are concerned about maintaining their system in some cases, improving access. It’s typically up to the regulator to look at how they balance all these interests and how they ensure that the system is sustainable and will service well for 20 to 30 years from now.”
Understanding the political economy of regulation, regulating state owned enterprises and the impacts of regulation on renewable energy are among the major items for discussion during the training course.
Saint Lucia’s National Utilities Regulatory Commission was established by statute No. 3 of2016 enacted in January 2016. The NURC currently has a mandate for regulating the electricity, and water and sewage sectors in Saint Lucia.
The OECS Commission, through the ECERA Project is also supporting the Government of Grenada in its electricity sector regulatory reforms that include the establishment of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission. Photos compliments Benjamin Thomassin
A team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), led by Judith Gold, visited Barbados during May 9–19 to conduct discussions for the 2016 Article IV Consultation.
At the conclusion of the mission, Ms. Gold issued the following statement:
“The economy appears to have turned the corner with activity picking up. Real GDP grew by 0.8 percent in 2015—underpinned by a surge in tourism arrivals—relative to 0.2 percent in 2014 and an average of -0.3 percent in 2008–14, while employment increased by 2 percent and unemployment fell. Inflation is low, reflecting a sharp drop in import prices. The financial system is stable and non-performing loans declined, while private sector credit growth remains cautious. The current account deficit has narrowed significantly, reflecting lower oil and other import prices—despite an increased volume of oil and intermediate goods imports—while exports grew modestly. Net international reserves fell by US$57 million since the beginning of 2015, reflecting lower foreign direct investment and debt amortization.
“The economy faces serious challenges. Although growth has resumed and short-term prospects are positive, imbalances persist between available resources and government programs. While favorable external developments have provided some room for maneuver, Barbados remains highly vulnerable and may not realize its potential without deep-seated reforms to align revenues and expenditures, and reduce debt.
“Fiscal reforms have yielded less than expected. After significant consolidation in FY2014/15, the deficit in FY2015/16 remained broadly unchanged, short of government’s objective, due to delayed implementation of June 2015 tax measures and slow progress with the reform of the state owned enterprises (SOE). Consequently, public sector debt rose to 105.5 percent of GDP from 98 percent at the end of FY2013/14. The large cash requirements of the government are a challenge increasingly met by the Central Bank.
“Growth is projected to increase to 2.1 percent in 2016, reflecting higher private and public investment, mainly in refurbishing and expanding the tourism stock. While favorable terms of trade developments support a stronger outlook, government financing requirements and possible delays in government-backed projects are a source of risk. Another concern is “de-risking,” i.e., the termination of banking relationships by global financial institutions with clients perceived to be “high risk” which could hurt the International Business and Financial Sector operations. Other sources of risk include weak growth in key source tourism markets. Over the medium term, growth prospects hinge on fiscal adjustment sufficient to reduce debt and maintain private sector confidence.
“To reverse large increases in debt and place it on a downward trajectory, the mission recommends fiscal adjustment of at least 3.5 percent of GDP over the next three years. This would be on top of the expected improvement in performance this year reflecting a full year of the 2015 revenue measures. The strategy would focus on strengthening Barbados Revenue Authority performance by completing its reform and improving its operations, and on comprehensive reform of SOEs to strengthen financial management, consolidate their operations, and improve the affordability of their programs. This adjustment would put the debt ratio below 100 percent by FY2019/20 (about the FY2014/15 level), and, if sustained, would shift the trajectory solidly downward. It would also substantially ease the funding burden, reduce and potentially eliminate the need for Central Bank funding, support international reserve build up, and possibly improve credit ratings.
“To support the nascent recovery, the government should also advance measures to raise the efficiency of public services, which impedes private sector operations, pursue reforms to increase labor market flexibility without unduly reducing worker protection, increase training opportunities in a cost effective manner to address the skill mismatch, and move forward with a viable and affordable agricultural strategy to strengthen its links with the tourism sector.
“The IMF stands ready to assist the Government of Barbados, including through continued policy dialogue and technical assistance. The team would like to thank the authorities, technical staff, representatives of civil society, and the private sector, for their open discussions and constructive dialogue.”
The mission met with Minister of Finance Christopher Sinckler, Central Bank Governor DeLisle Worrell, Minister of Industry Donville Inniss, the leader of the opposition Mia Mottley, senior government officials, and representatives of the private sector, labor organizations and academia.
The Die is Cast: Address to the nation by Hon. Dr. Kenny D. Anthony, Prime Minister & Minister for Finance, Economic Affairs, Planning & Social Security
PURPOSE OF ADDRESS
Fellow citizens, I address you tonight on the date for the next General Election in our country.
As you are probably aware, the fifth anniversary of the last General Election is November 28, 2016. Our Constitution says in section 55(2) that “Parliament unless sooner dissolved shall continue for five years from the date of the first sitting of the House after any dissolution and shall then stand dissolved.” This would mean that General Elections are constitutionally due for the latest, three months after the first sitting of Parliament, which was held on January 05, 2012. In effect, the Government would have had until April 05, 2017 to call General Elections.
However, I have decided in the interest of our country to call the General Election several months ahead of its due date to ensure peace, stability and certainty in our country and its affairs. The Opposition United Workers Party has agitated for elections for months and on our side, the Saint Lucia Labour Party says, “we are ready.” PASSAGE OF BUDGET
You would have noticed that while there was a debate on the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the Financial Year 2016/2017- which of course, most members of the Opposition did not attend- there was no presentation of a Budget Address. The explanations for what appears to be unusual, are rather simple.
Section 79(1) of our Constitution requires that the Minister of Finance prepares and lay the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure “before or not later than thirty days after the commencement of the financial year.” In turn, section 79 (2) of the Constitution provides for an Appropriation Bill to be introduced in the House of Assembly to authorize expenditure from the Consolidated Fund. These are the two fundamental requirements established by the Constitution to allow expenditure by the Government. Clearly, we need to ensure that any expenditure by the Government is fully authorized. And we have done so!
Given my decision to call the General Election just after the passage of the Appropriation Bill 2016/17, I felt it best that the Government elected by the will of the people in the General Election which I am about to announce, be given the opportunity to present, within a reasonable period after the General Election, its economic and policy proposals by way of a Financial Statement to the House.
Incidentally, that was the view I held and expressed way back in 1997 when General Elections were held on May 23, 1997, just after the presentation of the budget in that year. THE ISSUES
We come to this juncture after four years of collective effort and sacrifice. These past four years have been a period of adjustment for our economy and indeed, for all of us.
I remain eternally grateful to you for the support and understanding that you have shown for the adjustments we have made to ensure that our economy became stronger, better, and more resilient. Some of our measures were not always popular but it was never in doubt that the measures were implemented in the best interests of our country. By our common will and collective efforts, we saved our country from the IMF.
The results of our efforts have now begun to yield fruits.
Our economy has returned to growth. Last year, it grew by 1.3%.
We have reduced our fiscal deficit from 9.6% of GDP in 2012 to 3.1% in 2015. This is a remarkable reduction by any measure.
Our current account surplus increased to $73.8 million in 2015/16. We also registered a significantly improved performance in the primary surplus, which grew to $45.3 million in 2015/16 from $3.7 million in 2014/2015.
Unemployment is finally trending downwards, from a high of 24.5% to 20% in the last quarter. There was a net increase in the number of employed persons by 3.8% to 77,131. In the Fourth Quarter alone, our Labour Force grew by 5,220 persons. It is clear we are the only Government with a plan for jobs! We need to continue on our path.
Tourism arrivals continue to increase steadily. For the first time ever, we surpassed the one million mark for combined stay-over and cruise passenger arrivals.
The construction sector expanded by 7.4%.
Manufacturing too, is on the rebound. The sector grew by an estimated 13.7%.
Agricultural production, though uneven, is rising, with banana exports surging by 35.3%. Many of us may not be aware, but Saint Lucia is the only Windward Island still exporting bananas to the United Kingdom.
Investment has also returned to our country. Currently, two major new hotels are under construction. Some 700 Saint Lucians are employed at the Royalton at Cap Estate; another275 are employed at the Harbour Club in Rodney Bay. When the Royalton is completed, some 650 to 700 Saint Lucians are expected to find jobs. In the next few days, I expect a sod turning ceremony will be held to signal the construction of the new hotel, Sunset Bay Hotel, at “Sabwisha”, in Choiseul. The developers have already paid for the land.
The local private sector too is investing in our country again. Unicomer Limited, the parent company of Courts (Saint Lucia) is constructing its new headquarters. The Dayana Centre in the City Centre is nearing completion.
The public sector too is also playing its part! A sod turning ceremony has already been held to confirm the commencement of the Administrative Complex in Vieux Fort. Two new bridges, one in Thomazo and the other in Canaries are about to commence construction. Plans are now at an advanced stage for the commencement of the Secondary Roads Improvement Project to pave the way for the expansion of the Choc to Gros Islet Highway. The European Union has confirmed financing of a new bridge at Piaye and the reconstruction of the Venus Road in the Anse La Raye Quarter.
The prospects for the health sector are promising.
The creative industries have begun to take shape; youth and sports are in good hands.
We continue to educate the children of Saint Lucia to equip them to be the future drivers of our country’s destiny. We provided our students from Form 3 to Form 5 in our secondary schools with Laptops. We plan to extend this programme to Form 1 of all our secondary schools.
We are well on our way to diversifying our energy needs by developing alternative sources of energy.
All over the country we are opening modern, state-of-the art Information Technology Centres to give all Saint Lucians free access to computers and high-speed internet for learning and entrepreneurship.
Our country is, once again, proud, resilient and on the move! However, it is also delicately poised, and all of these gains and the sacrifices we have made to get us here can be quickly undone and reversed by recklessness and irresponsible actions. DELICATE CHOICES
One such example is the recent opportunistic and bizarre proposal by the leader of the United Workers Party on VAT.
The leader of the UWP, at a recent meeting on the Boulevard, stated that his Party will do an “immediate reduction and ultimate removal of the dreaded VAT.” He added: “We will find a more creative way and less onerous way of raising revenues generated by VAT”. These are his words, not mine.
So in the mind of Allen Chastanet, VAT is “dreaded” and yet, at a Town Hall Meeting in Gros Islet last night at which some twenty persons were in attendance, he told his audience that “VAT is the best and most effective tax in the world. No argument”. Now, which is it? Ask yourself, why this incredible about turn and inconsistency?
In 2015/2016 our country earned $346.37 million dollars from VAT. It is this revenue that pays for our nurses, doctors, teachers, police officers, civil servants, and repays our debt. For every 1% reduction in VAT Revenue, the country loses $7.0 million dollars. The question then is this: what are the new “creative” measures, what are the new taxes that Allen Chastanet plans to impose on the people of Saint Lucia to make up for this staggering loss of $ 346.37 million dollars in revenue?
In 2007, Sir John Compton announced in his only Budget Address before his death that his Government will introduce VAT. He said so in these words:
“Madam Speaker, I wish to draw to the attention of this Honourable House that VAT is not a tax with which we are unfamiliar. We currently have on our books a number of transaction taxes such as the consumption tax, hotel accommodation tax and the travel tax. It is more efficient to bring all those taxes under a single legislative and administrative structure That would widen the tax base while easing the burden of existing taxpayers.
The VAT will not be another tax, but a replacement for some existing taxes. It will be a broad based comprehensive and simplified system of taxation on transactions. During the course of this financial year, we will be consulting with you on an appropriate schedule for implementation of this modified tax system.”[See Page 42 of the Budget Address, 2007/2008]
Sir John’s successor, Hon Stephenson King, in his 2011 Budget Address, reiterated Sir John’s comments promising to introduce VAT in April 2012.He prepared draft legislation and engaged civil society on the merits of VAT.
Apparently, the wisdom of Sir John Compton in announcing the introduction of VAT in 2007, was conveyed to his successor, Hon Stephenson King, but somehow not to King’s successor as leader of the UWP, Allen Chastanet, even though he was part of the Cabinet that made those decisions.
Our Government believes that VAT has settled reasonably well. It is not perfect. Adjustments may well be necessary from time to time but our number one priority must remain the creation of new jobs. And this will be the continuing focus of a new Labour Government.
We believe that more money must be put in the pockets of Saint Lucians by reducing on the number of persons who pay personal income taxes, reducing corporate income tax to encourage even more investment, and ensuring a fair and just property tax regime. We believe that our revenue base must be protected to pay for hospital care for our people, pay our teachers to educate our children, provide more access to university education for our young people, and to protect our elderly, our poor and our vulnerable.
These are the issues before us. DECISION TIME
Fellow Saint Lucians, the die is cast!
The decision time has arrived!
Today, I advised the Governor General to dissolve the Parliament of Saint Lucia, and to issue “Writs of Election” to pave the way for the General Election. The General Election will be held on June 06, 2016. Nomination day will be May 27, 2016.
Good night and may God bless and protect each and every one of you and our island home, Saint Lucia!
The Public Utility Research Centre of the University of Florida will facilitate discussions on the technical, political and practical aspects of utility regulation.
The National Utilities Regulatory Commission (NURC) will host a two-day training session on Utility Regulation.
The purpose of the sessions are to create greater understanding and appreciation for utility regulation, especially since Saint Lucia has now transitioned to a multi-sector regulatory model.
The sessions will be facilitated by the Public Utility Research Centre (PURC) of the University of Florida, and will involve both technical and practical discussions on utility rate-making and incentives; the roles and challenges of independent power producers for renewable energy; understanding the political economy of regulation; assessing regulatory systems; and the implications of and strategies for non-revenue water, among other topics.
The training sessions will be held at the Palm Haven conference room on May 19 – 20, from 9 a.m.
Saint Lucia’s newly established National Utilities Regulatory Commission (NURC) has welcomed the support of the OECS Commission’s Eastern Caribbean Energy Regulatory Authority, through the ECERA Project in facilitating a capacity building seminar .
Mr. Victor Poyotte who chairs the Saint Lucia NURC told the OECS News Link that ongoing discussions on regulation of the water, sewage and electricity sectors are at a important juncture: ” It is critical to our role as the regulator. All Commissioners are interested in understanding the regulatory system and what is more important to us is being effective.” Poyotte referred to earlier discussions on day-one regarding the “balancing act” which experts conducting the seminar say is among the best approaches towards ensuring that the needs of the regulator, utility company and customer are met in the best possible way: “ It’s important that we understand the role, function of the regulator, the timing and type of interventions we make and the implication of our decisions in achieving the national development goals of Saint Lucia and our region.”
they buy and the types of homes that they buy, the vehicles that they drive and the security of supply is important for them so that they can make better decisions to improve their lives. The utility operators are concerned about maintaining their system in some cases, improving access. It’s typically up to the regulator to look at how they balance all these interests and how they ensure that the system is sustainable and will service well for 20 to 30 years from now.”
